Zinedine Zidane gives assurances that Isco will play first-team football to beat Manchester City in signing him

Zinedine Zidane has threatened Manchester City’s attempts to beat Real Madrid
to the signature of Isco by offering personal assurances that the £30m-rated
midfielder will play regular first-team football at the Bernabeu.

Competition to sign: Manchester City are battling with Real Madrid to sign Isco (left) from MalagaPhoto: AFP

City had emerged as favourites to sign the Malaga youngster after being informed of his determination to sign for a club who could offer him a key role in the first-team.

With German midfielder Mesut Ozil and Brazilian playmaker Kaka already at Real, Isco had voiced concerns that he could become a peripheral figure at the Bernabeu, despite emerging as the star player of Spain’s European U-21 Championship success in Israel this month.

However, with City growing in confidence that the lure of regular football under former Malaga coach Manuel Pellegrini would convince Isco to reject Real for a move to the Etihad, Zidane’s intervention has now left Real expecting to secure his signature.

Former Real captain Zidane, now director of football at the Bernabeu, is understood to have held several discussions with Isco’s father to allay fears that the player would be overlooked in Madrid.

Zidane is also believed to have highlighted Madrid’s proximity to Malaga via high-speed rail link in an effort to appeal to Isco’s desire to remain close to his family.

Manchester City remain confident that they will sign Isco, but Malaga vice-president Moayad Shatat has warned that the player’s impressive tournament in Israel has reinforced his £30m transfer valuation.

"Isco's a magnificent player and one who is very important for us, so if we do not receive a decent offer, we will not sell him," Shatat said. "If we sell him, it has to be for his market value.

“We have no need to sell him for an insufficient price and it's not in our interest to do so.”

Pellegrini is prepared to keep Edin Džeko at City but Napoli target Edinson Cavani is expected to snub the club.